Overview

In this adventure-filled sequel to the 2004 blockbuster National Treasure, Nicolas Cage reprises his role as artifact hunter and archaeologist extraordinaire Ben Franklin Gates. In this outing, Gates learns of his own family's implication in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth. Gates must then locate an elusive diary, not only to clear his family's name, but to unearth and connect several secrets, buried within the book, that point to a massive, global conspiracy. The film co-stars Jon ...

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Overview

In this adventure-filled sequel to the 2004 blockbuster National Treasure, Nicolas Cage reprises his role as artifact hunter and archaeologist extraordinaire Ben Franklin Gates. In this outing, Gates learns of his own family's implication in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth. Gates must then locate an elusive diary, not only to clear his family's name, but to unearth and connect several secrets, buried within the book, that point to a massive, global conspiracy. The film co-stars Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, and Helen Mirren as Ben's mother. Jerry Bruckheimer returns as producer.

Special Features

Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide
- Nathan Southern

National Treasure: Book of Secrets makes no attempt to disguise its sources. Like its predecessor, this outing functions as kind of a low-rent variation on the Indiana Jones films, and bears the distinct high-gloss production stamp of Jerry Bruckheimer. This is the cinematic equivalent of cotton candy, and gives us virtually nothing substantial to take away from it. And yet, on a completely sophomoric, mechanical level and even at an excessive 123 minutes the film feels aggressively enjoyable. It's an undemanding, carnivalesque thrill-ride that whisks the audience off on a high-flown string of adventures, with a host of urban legends that seem pulled straight from brazen adolescent fantasies. We're given desks with secret compartments that house strange carvings, an ancient city of gold buried in booby-trapped caverns beneath a national monument, and a presidential "Book of Secrets" containing every long-buried skeleton that the U.S. government doesn't want us to know about. All of this is gleefully absurd, of course, but for those willing to accept the film's high-flung fantasy and nonetheless suspend reality in their minds, NT2 provides more than its share of kicks and thrills. By the 90-minute mark, when the protagonists reach the said cavern, one feels that one has fallen into a big-budget movie version of the old arcade game Pitfall 2; Book provides the same sorts of hijinks and setpieces. It also feels refreshing to see actors as brilliant and as serious as Harvey Keitel, Jon Voight, and Helen Mirren in supporting roles let their hair down and have a good time with material that is knowingly ridiculous. Unfortunately, if Bruckheimer -- sensing the closure of the Harrison Ford-starring Indiana Jones vehicles with Crystal Skull, given Ford's age -- wanted to unofficially spin-off his own franchise, he made a poor choice with the creation of Treasure's lead character, Benjamin Franklin Gates Nicolas Cage. Part of what makes the Jones films so much fun is their ability to spin outrageous whoppers yet, thanks to Ford, retain a deeply human, incredulous, self-deprecating protagonist with a sarcastic sense of humor and at least one major Achilles' Heel. Read: snakes. Cage never gives us that balance, not even once. His Gates is a kind of patriotic Übermensch, a walking historical encyclopedia implausibly rife with facts and figures and seldom, if ever, prone to making slip-ups nary a one in sight, here. And perhaps as a result, it becomes almost impossible to empathize with him. Director Jon Turteltaub, Bruckheimer, and scriptwriters Cormac and Marianne Wibberley attempt to compensate for this by giving Gates as an assistant a sophomoric, goofball hack named Riley Poole Justin Bartha; it doesn't work. One can also fault Bruckheimer for some self-indulgent excess -- apparently it is no longer necessary for him to even put his surname under his production company identification at the beginning of the picture, because here the logo appears without a name; instead, he trademarks his involvement in the film with a couple of gratuitous and unnecessary car chase scenes that the film could very easily do without, and that seem purely designed to let Jerry unleash his destructive, adrenaline-fueled urges and identify his presence. Spare us. But these moments are primarily limited to the film's initial half-hour, and after that, the picture sinks into an exciting, groovy rush and even begins to recall the old-time Saturday matinee serials as Raiders of the Lost Ark did. Taken for what it is, and approached sans expectation, Book of Secrets should please many undemanding viewers, especially teenage and preteen males, with its roller coaster-like ride of thrills. It's surprisingly fun.

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets
1. The War is Over [4:59]
2. The Missing Page [3:27]
3. Breaking In [8:27]
4. The Debt That All Men Pay [5:06]
5. The Lady's Clue [4:01]
6. Making a Scene at the Palace [10:42]
7. The Streets of London [6:15]
8. Meeting Dr. Appleton [7:10]
9. A Date at the White House [5:13]
10. Riley's Theory [4:26]
11. Happy Birthday, Mr. President [11:20]
12. The Book of Secrets [8:50]
13. Another Translation [4:28]
14. An Island of Stone [5:58]
15. Only One Way Out [9:25]
16. The City of Gold [7:10]
17. Escaping Cibola [10:01]
18. End Credits [7:11]

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National Treasure 2, Good follow up for 1.

Some people say that the second is not as good as the first.
Well I liked National Treasure 2.
It is well worth the purchase.

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Lefty219

Posted October 1, 2010

I Also Recommend:

A very good follow-up to National Treasure!

Before seeing this movie, I had little/no idea of what this one would be about since the 1st movie finished the chapter on the Nation Treasure. (The MAIN reason I liked the original movie is that I wasn't able to predict what will happen next (I can do that with most other movies/series. e.g. When they think that found the treasure and the room was empty!

This is not as enthralling as the one before it, but I don't regret seeing it. I have added this oneto my DVD collection to view more times.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

...

eh...that's about all i can say about it. it's a sequel to an okay movie (that's on the cool side of okay). soooo...eh.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Best Movie Ever

This is one of the best movies I have ever seen! It helped me learn a lot in school!

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Educational and full of BAMF

Nicolas Cage. Face/Off. Con Air. Family Man. Easily the biggest and bestest actor of the past 2.5 decades. So when I heard a National Treasure 2 was coming out, well first I rented National Treasure 1, and then I got REALLY excited. I mean, the first one was good, so the sequal was gonna be GREAT (as they always are)! Needless to say the Cagemeister did not disappoint. I was so inspired by the movie, I wrote my 9th grade american final history paper all about it. I haven't got the grade back yet but I have no doubts. Nick cage is my hero!!!!!!!

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Amazing

This is an absolutely amazing movie. Everybody that likes adventure and excitement should watch it. It is extremely clean and has a bit of humor in it. It is even more exciting than the first one. I loved it! I was a little unsure about buying it at first, but I'm ever so glad I did. It's a must-see.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Astounding - Better than the First!!

National Treasure: Book of Secrets is undoubtedly better than the first, a remarkable story, fascinating historical insights, and dialgoue both humerous and creative. Thus, I refuse to understand why it received such disappointing reviews. Perhaps my fellow reviewers lack the penetration to comprehend the depth of the film.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Edge of your seat adventure

With humorous quirks tastefully distributed throughout the film, Nicholas Cage takes you on an almost believable journey across the globe to clear his familys' name of a conspiracy plot they were never part of. Many surprises await those who choose to pop this dvd into their home theater systems....Definitely recommended.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

It's okay - but I won't review it

Well, this is a really good movie. I can't doubt that. But unfortunatly I think, it doesn't create a good thrill, that you wan't to review it.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

national treasure 2

this one was alright but thought the villian was a little soft though i guess because its a disney and all and sometimes they're sequels i noticed aren't entirely that good than the original. this continues the indiana jones like adventures of treasure hunters and has its comedic moments like...riley.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

A Waste of Time

Rent this one from the video club, and don't waste your money. It was completely absurd. I don't mind suspending credibility in order to enjoy a film, but this was ridiculous. The most obscure clue figured out and acted on in a matter of minutes. An endless and incredibly destructive car chase through London with no consequences. Need to figure out an ancient and extinct language for a clue? No problem - someone will be right nearby who just happens to have studied it in depth. All of it is a major insult to the audience's intelligence.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Typical Sequel

While there were a few interesting parts, this one just did not have the ability to glue the watcher to their seat like the 1st one did. I wish we would have never bought this one.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

National Treasure is amazing!

This was an awesome movie. I think it might have even beat out the first movie- that usually doesn't happen with sequels. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. This movie is for everyone, especially history buffs. This movie makes you think the treasures are real- I know we want them to be. Make sure you see this movie. It is a must-see.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Cant wait

I saw this in the theatre and loved it! I think this one is better than the first and cant wait for the 3rd!

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

A reviewer

I have given National Treasure: Book of Secrets a 4-star rating because I am comparing it to its prequel. National Treasure: Book of Secrets starts out as a memory, as did #1. This memory, however is right after the Civil War. Actually, a few days after the Civil War, the night of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Ben Gates and Patrick Gates claim that Patrick’s grandfather saved a “national treasure” from the wrong hands. History seems to turn on them when Mitch Wilkinson shows a page of a diary that seems that Grandfather Gates was the mastermind of Lincoln’s assassination. Ben is then sent on a mission across the globe to prove his great-grandfather’s innocence. National Treasure: Book of Secrets does not have as much history as the first one did. To make up for that, the writer seemed to have put a lot more action in the film. I know I liked the first one because of the history in it, but this one is great for a change in pace. I liked this movie because the action excites me and everything is not what it seems. I recommend this movie to anyone who loves action, history, and understands the Civil War.

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